Apparatus for supplying ply fabric to a tire building drum



H. T. KRAFT 3,017,312

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING PLY FABRIC TO A TIRE BUILDING DRUM Jan. 16, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1957 INVENTOR Herman T- Kraft ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1962 H. T. KRAFT 3,017,312

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYINC FLY FABRIC TO A TIRE BUILDING DRUM Filed April 12, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 F y. E 3 e2 6/ 6/ 62 f" 59 57 l 54 A 5 55 58 I 55 5. 5 /a 55 l:.(\ 4| l5 [7 i 58 U$=:f J IL '11 5/ L 'l 3/ l I TJEE 45 43 /4 /9 5 a 40 4 n 1 I 1 4 4/ l 42 I: F1 7- 3 I: Z 45 45 L. z I

i Z 4 INVENTOR L- i. Herman :aKmrt 49 47 v B Q a a: z

E ATTSILRJZNEYS APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING PLY FABRIC TO A TIRE BUILDING DRUM Filed April 12, 1957 H. T. KRAFT Jan. 16, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Herman Tl Kraf t ATTORNEYS H. T. KRAFT Jan. 16, 1962 APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING PLY FABRIC TO A TIRE BUILDING DRUM 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 12, 1957 I l I INVENTOR Hqrnwno T-Kraft hlfyfiuw v ATTORNEYS Jan. 16 1962 H. T. KRAFT 3,017,312

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FLY FABRIC TO A TIRE BUILDING DRUM Filed April 12, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 225 zza [54 L2) INVENTOR 7 /5Z 1 F1? Herman T.Kraft 4y fizzzzflw ATTORNEYS TO A TIRE BUILDING DRUM Jan. 16, 1962 H. T. KRAFT APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FLY FABRIC Filed April 12, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet G Kraft Herman T W$wW ATTORNEYS United States atent Oihce tire building machines The present invention relates to pp y p y and more particularly to servicers for fabric, tread rubber and the like to tire building drums.

Heretofore it has been proposed to provide a servicer for supplying fabric of several different widths to a tire building drum. Servicers of this type required a separate reel for each width of fabric and were, therefore, unduly large, complicated, very expensive to build, and inconvenient to operate.

According to the present invention, servicing means are provided for supplying material to a tire building drum which may be built at a small fraction of the cost of previously known machines and which enable the building of the highest quality tires efficiently at a minimum cost. The means for supplying the material comprises a pair of servicers located on opposite sides of the tire building drum and having fabric guiding tables extending over the drum.

The main fabric servicer has only one supply roll which contains enough rubberized fabric to build anywhere from 20 to 40 tires. Since from four to six plies of each tire carcass can be formed from the fabric removed from this roll, very little time is required to change rolls on the machine. The end edges of the fabric plies applied to the tire building machine are staggered without employing fabric of different widths by providing a laterally movable carriage and pawl-and-ratchet means, or other suitable means for controlling the carriage and the position of the fabric to be supplied from said carriage to the tire building drum. Novel means are provided for adjusting the position of the servicer, for guiding the fabric to the carriage, and for permitting swinging movement of the carriage and its supporting table to a retracted upright position.

The tread side of the tire building drum and a rubberized fabric web to said drum. has cords which the cords of the fabric supplied by the main fabric servicer so as to the rubber tread and sidewall portions of the tire. Novel means are provided to facilitate cutting of said fabric web, to hold the web in position, and to adjust the position of the fabric supplying means.

A tread table is mounted above the fabric web and the the thick guiding means for said web to facilitate moving rubber strip forming the tread and sidewall portions of the tire over the servicer to the tire building drum. The front portion of this tread table above the fabric supporting table is pivotally mounted to swing upwardly to a retracted position so as to permit access to said table.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tire building machine of simple inexpensive construction which reduces the cost of building pneumatic tires without reducing the quality of such tires and which requires very little space within a factory.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for supplying fabric to tire building machines so that less time is required to build a tire.

Other objects, uses and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and claims, and from the drawings in which:

FIGURE and fabric servicer is located on the other has means for guiding Said fabric web 1 is a side elevational view on a reduced scale 3,017,312 Patented Jan. 16, 1962 showing means for an automatic tire building machine and two servicers constructed according to the present invention, for supplying rubberized fabric and tread and side wall material to the tire building drum, the tread and fabric supporting tables of the two servicers being shown in solid lines in their lowered positions and in dot-dash lines in their elevated positions;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view on a reduced scale with pat-ts omitted showing the servicer which supplies most of the fabric for b -'lding the tires;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and on a larger scale;

FIGURE 4 is a foreshortened vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and on the same scale, with parts omitted and parts broken away and shown in section;

FIGURE 5 is a foreshortencd top plan view with parts omitted and parts broken away taken substantially on the line indicated at 5-5 in FIG. 1, the four different positions of the center line of the fabric supporting table during building of the tire being shown in dot-dash lines;

FIGURE -6 is a foreshortened fragmentary vertical sectional view with parts broken away and shown in section, takensubstantially on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1 and on a larger scale;

FIGURE 7 substantially on the line scale;

FIGURE 7' -7 of FIG. 5 and on a larger 8 is a foreshortened fragmentary elevational view taken substantially on the line indicated at 8-8 in FIG. 7 and on a smaller scale;

FIGURE 9 is an elevational view taken substantially on the line 9-9 of FIG. 1 and on a larger scale;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view with parts omitted, taken substantially on the line 10-10 of FIG. 9;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 11-11 of FIG. 9 and on a larger scale, wit

arts omitted and parts broken away;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11 and on the same scale;

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary top view of the tread servicer of FIG. 1 on a reduced scale with parts broken away and parts omitted;

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the services of FIG. 13 on the same scale, the fabricholding means being shown with the blade thereof in enagement with the fabric; and

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary view similar showing the fabricholding means on a larger the blade thereof out of engagement with the fabric.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, which are drawn substantially to scale and in which like parts are identified by the same numerals throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows pneumatic tire building apparatus including a fabric servicer A, a tread and fabric servicer B, and an automatic tire building machine C of the type shown in my copending application, Serial No. 528,996, filed August 17, 1955, now U.S. Patent No. 2,838,091.

The tire building machine C comprises an expansible tire building drum D which is expanded by means of annular rubber tubes, as described in more detail in said copending application. When the drum D is fully expanded, as shown in FIG. 1, the outer metal shell of the drum has a cylindrical surface with an axis coinciding with the axis of rotation of the drum. The tire building machine C also has tread stitching means S of the type described in said copending application, for pressing the tread and side wall portions of the tire against the fabric on the tire building drum. The drum D may also be is a fragmentary side elevational view taken ing of tires in 3 of the type shown in my application, Serial No. 193,597, now Patent No. 2,614,952.

The servicers A and B are located adjacent the tire building drum as shown in FIG. 1, so as to permit build- The the shaft 13 for free rotation by the bearings 15 near the opposite ends of the roll. An annular drive collar 17 and an annular spring collar 18 is mounted on angularly spaced blocks 42 and 43 weldedlthereto to provide stops for limiting the angular swinging movement of the gear sector to about 90 degrees.

A vertically movable rack 45 is provided having teeth which mesh with the circumferential teeth of the gear sector 40, said rack being in mesh with the gear sector by the frame 1. The lower end that the table speed dangerous to the opin engagement with said heads by adjustable piston-like heads connected by shafts said rails in positions drical fabric roll 68 faces which are scalloped to provide a series of regularly spaced arcuate grooves 74 (FIG. 6) to receive the rolls rear portions of said guides also being position on the carriage 64. The rails 73 normally are located in parallel positions the same distance from the side rails 65 and 66, as indicated in FIG. 5, so that the fabric is located properly for application building drum. The medial vertical plane of the table 30, indicated FIG. 5, corresponds to the medial vertical plane of the tire building drum in which the servicer to the tire building machine C. A cylindrical roll 77 is mounted for free rotation on each rod 72 and is centrally' located on the rod where it cannot interfere wi the normal adjustment of the guide rails 73. The upper surfaces of the rolls 77 are in alignment with the upper surfaces of the rolls 70 as indicated in FIG. 7.

The carriage 64 is mounted to slide axially on the cross tubes 37 as is apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6. In order to minimize the friction between the carriage and the cross tubes, it is preferable to provide roller bearings or the like whereby a very small force is required to move the carriage transversely. As herein shown, the carriage 64 is provided with four conventional Thomson ball bushings or axial bearings 78 the outer portions of which are rigidly connected to the side rails 65 and 66 by hearing retainer sleeves 79 and retaining rings 80. Each of the Thomson ball bushings may of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,628,135.

The halls of the bearings 78 are mounted for axial rolling movement on the opposite end portions of each cross tube 37, the ball bearings engaging the cylindrical outer surface of each tube to minimize friction during movement of the carriage while at the same time preventing twisting of the carriage during axial movement" thereof. The carriage is biased toward the arm 34 by a pair of compression springs 82 mounted on the tubes 37. Each spring 82 is centered at one end by the projecting end portion of the bearings 78 and at its other end by a spring collar 83, as shown in FIG. 6

A latch asse bly is provided to hold the carriage 64 in position against the action of the springs 82. he main elements of this assembly are a pawl orclick' 86, and a notched bar or ratchet 87. Ratchet 87 is formed by machining a round metal bar and has an end portion of reduced diameter which is threaded to receive a nut 88. Said end portion projects through a small circular opening in the side rail 66 and is rigidly held in place by the nut 88. The pawl 86 is mounted to swing on a pivot pin 89 and extends below the rail 66 and through an opening 90' in the side rail 34 so that it is accessible to the operator. The pawl is shaped to provide a handle portion 91 outwardly of the arm 34 which may be gripped by the operator to release the pawl from the ratchet. supporting bracket or yoke 92 is rigidly mounted on the arm 34 to provide a support for the opposite ends of the pin 89. As indicated in FIG. 6, the pawl 86 is biased in a counterclockwise direction toward the bottom surface of the opening 90 by means of a flat leaf spring 93 having its end rigidly connected to the pawl near the pin 8 leaf spring normally holds the pawl in one of the notches of the ratchet 87, for example as shown in FIG. 6.

As herein shown, the ratchet 87 has four notches to receive the pointed, upwardly projecting portion of the pawl 86. These notches have three spaced inclined surfaces 94, 95 and 96, four spaced vertical pawl-engaging surfaces a flat intermediate horizontal surface 101 as shown in FIG. 6 which is drawn substantially to scale. Each of the four notches is of a size to vertical pawl-engaging surface of the notch can engage the vertical-ratchet-engaging surface 102 of the pawl to prevent axial movement of the carriage 64 toward the pawl. The pawl 86 makes an audible clicking soundwhenever it drops into one of the notches so as to indicate that the pawl has moved from one notch to the next adjacent notch. By counting the audible clicks the operator can easily deter-mine be substantially V the position of the carriage 64 relative to the medial plane of the tire building drum. I

It will be apparent, however, that visual indicating means may be provided to indicate the distance between the members 34 and 66, or between the members 33 and 65 so that the position of the carriage 64 is more readily apparent to the eye. The audible signal as provided by the clicking of the pawl is preferred over the visual signal, however.

The fabric sheet f is wound a liner sheet In of greater width. the motor 5, the liner roll and wound up on the liner roll L. the rubberized bias-cut fabric material is separated from the liner material and is fed by the drive roll 14 toward the tire building drum. The fabric 1 moves downwardly off of the roll 14 to form a large festoon between the roll 14 and the rear portion of the table 30 as indicated in FIG. 1.

A dancer roll of the type employed on the servicer B may be provided on the bottom portion 103 of the feS- toon in conjunction with means to control starting and stopping of the electric motor 5 in response to the vertical movement of the dancer roll so as to regulate the size of the festoon. An electric eye may be used in place of the dancer roll to offset this control.

As herein shown, a light source 104 and an electric eye 105 are mounted on the frame 1 a short distance above the floor on opposite sides of the festoon portion 103. The beam of light from the source 104 to the electric eye crosses the festoon at an angle so that the electric eye 105 can be located close to the frame 1 and out of the way of the operator. Whenever fabric is pulled from the table 30 and applied to the tire building drum, the lower portion 103 of the festoon is pulled upwardly above the light beam so that said beam strikes the electric eye. Whenever this happens, the motor 5 is automatically started to supply more fabric f to the festoon. The motor keeps running until the lower portion 103 drops back into the light beam. In this way the height of the portion 103 and the size of the festoon is efiectively regulated. 7

It will be understood that the fabric sheet is formed of bias-cut fabric according to conventional practice, whereby the operator may remove a section of the fabric from the table 30 of a size to fit on the tire building drum without the necessity of cutting the fabric with a knife.

A tape guide means fabric strip 1 from the festoon to the 64, and for holding the fabric in shape as the carriage 64 is moved between the arms 33 and 34. Such guide means includes a swivel bar 108 having a flat rectangular portion 109 with a length corresponding substantially to the distance between the rails 65 and 66, and vertical flange portions 110 at opposite ends of the portion 109. The upper end portions of the flanges 110 are mounted for free swinging movement on the end portions of the shafts 67 as indicated in FIGS. 5 and 8. The flat portion 109 is provided with narrow, elongated slots 111'which provide means for .adjustably supporting a pair of sandwich-shaped stock guides 112. These guides have integral threaded bolt portions 113 which extend through the slots 111 to receive wing nuts 114. Each on the supply roll R with During operation of from the supply 107 is provided for guiding the rolls of the carriage of the fabric 3 (FIG. 7) and is rigidly mounted in an adjusted position wherein the narrow portion of the guide, connecting the flat portions of the guide, is adjacent the side edge of the fabric sheet 1 as indicated in FIG. 8.

A pair of L-shaped brackets '115 are rigidly mounted on the swivel bar 108 to provide a support for an arcuately curved spreader rod 116' having a radius of curvature about four to six times the length of the rod. This rod has a circular cross section and is flattened at its ends so that it may be rigidly attached to the brackets 115 by attaching bolts 119 in a position wherein the plane containing the arcuate relative to the flat portion 109. mounted on the rod 116 and to its horizontal operating position, the portion of the 124 is released from the to bring more material to The tread and fabric servicer B is shown in FIGS. 9 to 15 and tion 131 that 132 which are the machine.

A motor support and a roll stand 134 are mounted on the base portion 131. The roll stand provides a support for a horizontal left-off shaft 135 which supports the supply roll R. A horizontal wind-up shaft 136 similar support 137 having bearings 138 which in cantilever fashion parallel to the removable shaft 135. Means is provided for rotating the shaft 135 including a conventional gear motor 140, similar to the previously described motor -22, and a flexible coupling 141 as shown in FIG. 9.

washer 152 providing a friction clutch between the collar 150 and the roll 148. The elements 150, 151, and 152 correspond substantially to the previthe upright portions 132 of the frame near the opposite ends of the machine. This shaft provides a support for a tread table having an a-rcuately curved portion 156 above the rolls R and a flat extensions 161. Said mounted to swing on the shaft 154 and may be rigidly held in adjusted positions on said shaft by a series of set screws 158 as indicated in FIGS. 13 therefore, be adjusted to position relative to the shaft 154.

so that the table is held rotatable on said side plates.

The upper surfaces of the rolls in th bottom edge, includ- 169 to receive the rollers guide-rail-holding blocks 170, similar to the are rigidly mounted on the guide rails 168 in These blocks are slidably Means is provided for guiding the fabric w from the pull roll 148 to the table 159 so that a festoon is formed similar to the festoon at 103. As herein shown the servicer B has tape guide means 173 similar to the previously described guide means 107. The tape guide means includes a swivel bar 174 similar to to the stop means 118 may be provided ing movement of the bar 174 on the shaft 172.

drical dancer roll 180 which is connected at its opposite vertical side plates 203 which are pivotally mounted on ends to a pair of wire ropes 181, as best shown in FIG. the shaft 154 like the plates 202.

10. Means are provided on each side of the machine to A thin curved metal sheet -204 is rigidly mounted on guide the wire ropes, including pulleys 182 and countertop of the angles 201 to provide a tread-supporting upper weights 183. A pair of vertical tubes 184 and 184a are surface for the table and a smaller fiat metal sheet 205 rigidly mounted on the frame 130 by means of a pair of is mounted on the side plates 203 for the same purpose.

similar lower supports 185 and 185a and a pair of similar The tread-supporting sheets 204 and 205 are provided upper dancer-roll supports 189 and 189a. Each of the with aligned regularly spaced rectangular roller-receiving dancer-roll supports 189 and 189a has a supporting arm slots 206, as best shown in F1 3. An angle bracket 190 for rotatably supporting two of the pulleys 182, as 207 is mounted at each end of each slot 206 to provide shown in FIG. 10. Each of the wire ropes 181 is consupports for a shaft 208. The shafts 208 are arranged nected at one end to an end portion of the dancer roll in parallel spaced relation with their axes located the 180 and at its opposite end to one of the counter weights same distance from the plates 204 and 205 and parallel 183. The tube 184 is provided with a slot 186 but the to the shaft 154. A series of cylindrical rollers 209 with tube 184a is without such a slot. a length slightly less than that of the openings 206 are A microswitch 187 is adjustably mounted on the tube mounted for free rotation on the shafts -8 to provide 184 to provide means for starting and stopping the operameans for supporting the tread stock as it moves over tion of the electric motor at 140, the switch controlling the the table 155. The rolls 209 project above the sheets roller 188 of the microswitch projecting through the slot 204 and 205 to minimize t e friction between these sheets 186 into the path of movement of the counter-weight 183 20 and the rubber strip material so that very little effort is so that the operation of the gear motor 140 is initiated required to move the tread and side wall portions over whenever the counter-weight 183 moves downwardly out the tread table 155 to the tire building drum D. of engagement with the roller 188. It will, therefore, be It will be noted that the plates 202 of the table 155 apparent how the height of the dancer roll 180 is closely are free to swing around the shaft 154. This swinging regulated. movement is prevented by means of an adjustable slotted Means is provided for guiding the fabric w from the angle bar 211 which is adjustably connected at one end table 159 toward the tire building drum D, including a flat to the table portion 156 and is adjustably connected at anvil or guide 192 having a downwardly curved lip porits opposite end to a bracket 212 carried by the frame tion 193. The guide 192 is rigidly mounted between the portion 132. The angular position of the table portion side plates 160 by suitable means including shaft-support- 156 may, therefore, be adjusted slightly to a desired fixed ing ears 194 adjacent the opposite side plates 160. The position.

ears 194 are bolted to or otherwise rigidly connected to It will also be noted that the side plates 203 of the the side plates 160 so that the guide 192 may be rigidly table portion 157 are free to swing on the shaft 154. This mounted in any desired adjusted position. A blade sup permits the table portion 157 to be swung upwardly from port or bar 195 of square cross section is provided, which the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 to the elevated extends substantially the full distance between the side position shown in dot-dash lines in that figure. Means plates 160, the opposite ends of the bar 195 beingjournaled is provided for holding the table portion 157 in its elein the ears 194 so that the bar may be swung between the vated position including a pair of tread table support rods two positions indicated in FIGS. 14 and 15. A flat plate 216 having inwardly turned upper end portions 217, pivor blade 196 of uniform width having a length correspond- 4h otally mounted on the side plates 203 and having a series ing substantially to the distance between the side plates of regularly spaced annular grooves 218. A pair of 160 is welded to the bar 195 with its straight pointed edge support rod brackets 219 are pivotally mounted on the 197 parallel to the axis of rotation of the bar 195', and side plates 160 at opposite sides of the table 159 to reparallel to the flat upper surface of the guide 192. A ceive the rods 216, each bracket 219 having a pair of small L-shaped handle 198 is welded to the top of the rod-receiving ears 220 with circular openings therein of bar 195 near the center thereof as shown in FIGS. 13 a diameter substantially equal to the external diameter and 15 so that the operator may readily swing the blade of the rod 216. A helical spring 221 is mounted on each 196 into and out of engagement with the fabric on the rod 216 between the ears 220 of each bracket 219, guide 192. The front edge 199 of the guide 192 is straight whereby the grooves 218 hold the rods 216 in position and parallel to the axis of the bar 195 and the axis of to resist lowering of the table 157 when the table is elethe tire building drum D. This edge projects forwardly vated as shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 1. from the 1 1 1 1159 a suflicient distance to permit running It is preferable to provide means on the front pora hot knife along said edge to cut the fabric web w. tion of the tread table 155 to center the tread material Whenever it is desired to apply the fabric w to the relative to the tire building drum D as said material is carcass being built on the tire building drurn, the handle being applied to the drum. As herein shown a pair of 198 is swung upwardly to move the blade 1% away from vertical end plates 223 are rigidly mounted on the front the fabric to a position as shown in FIG. 15. As the ehdvs the Side Plates Provide a pp for a handle is elevated, the end of the web w is pulled over to cyhndncal tread gh Shaft 224, the pp ends O the tire building drum and the drumgis rotated to pull said shaft being rigidly connected to said plates by nuts more fabric from the servicer B. When enough fabric has been pulled beyond the edge 199, the handle 198 is mounted on the shaft 224 so that they may be Shd v axially on the shaft to any desired position. A nut 227 depressed to push the blade edge 197 against the fabric. is W61 de d to the u shaped portion of each. 61 amp 226 to As shown in FIG. 14 the edge 197 grips the fabric to t provide an internally threaded means for receiving a 16351 lfrrmly n position but d h h the fabnc- 65 lock screw 228. When the lock screws 228 are tightened ie t e fabri i thus held in position it m y he f they spring the clamps 226 apart so that they tightly grip readlly by Tuhhlhg a hot khlfe along the edge 199 15mg the shaft 224, whereby the clamps are rigidly held in posisuch edge as a guide during the cutting. i

After the fabric w is applied to the carcass being built A pair of nut 229 are w lded to th in lin d. ortion on the tire building drum D, the tread and side wall porof each clamp 226, as best shown in FIG. 12,- to provide tions of the tire are moved over the tread table 155 to the two more bolt-receiving members for that clamp. Each tire building drum. The rear portion 156 of the tread of the clamps 226 supports tread guiding means includtable has a pair of curved angles 201 welded or otherwise ing a pair of flat side plates 230, a thick spacer 231, a rigidly connected to a pair of connecting plates 202. The pair of rollers 232 having intermediate cylindrical porflat front portion 157 of the tread table has a pair of tions with a width corresponding to that of the spacer 225. A pair of U-shaped clamps 226 are adjustably posite directions as indicated in FIGS. 9 and 13 and may stopping of the table. As the table swings upwardly the said sheet is moved from the tread table 155 to the carcass built on the tire building drum D. 15 to prevent the fabric from slipping off the end of the The operation of the machine of the present invention should be apparent from the above description. The opthe tire is built on the tire building drum, the table 30 is may place h [b d and may uff h Staggered end over the beads as disclosed in said U.S. Patent No.

2,838,091. The garter springs of the machine C press the shown in FIG. 6. At this time the medial vertical plane of the carriage 64 is in the position a shown in dot-dash lying fabric so as to adhere the portions of the fabric from the portion 103 to the drive roll 14 IS materially greater than the length of thecarriage 64 measured befrom the line a so as to guide the fabric with the center tween th t 11 68, Th i f thi f too i i line of the fabric directly abOYe the line tained substantially constant by the electric eye 105 and the associated control means. This festoon is sufficiently to pull the fabric from the carriage 64. The fabric in i h h the carriage on the shafts 37.

The rubbe strip forming the tread and side wall portical surface 98 of the rigid bar and the medial vertical able to emplo dot-dash lines in FIG. 5, about one-half inch from the line x. The second fabric ply is then pulled from the fewer cor-d ends posite to said first-named direction and is applied to the tim dr m li the first PM After the four plies have been applied to the drum D {After the second Ply P of the drum from the servicerA and after the fabric end portions have D is stopped and the carriage 64 is again pushed transb and spaced about one-half inch from said line as indiof the anvil 192. the drum D is again stopped and the carriage is moved is in the position d and is spaced about one inch from tread cements may be apphed dunngbwldmg of the tire ing application of the second ply.

After these operations are completed, the end edges of g the tread shoulders of The Strip and guide the Strip the four fabric plies of the tire building carcass on the drum D are staggered. The end of the fabric sheet cated by the line x of FIG. 5.

After the tread is applied the stitcher S is moved holder and the pneumatic motor at 48 is actuated to 7 against the tread and the drum D is rotated to adhere the ratchet member having a series of tread and side walls to the carcass. The drum D is then contracted and the generally cylindrical tire thereon is removed axially from the end of the drum. Thereafter the tire may be formed to the conventional toric shape and vulcanized in a conventional mold. It has been found that the tire building machine disclosed herein builds tires of the highest quality, in spite of the fact that the machine is relatively inexpensive and occupies a relatively small amount of space. The machine of the present invention is, therefore, ideally suited for small factories and permits setting up automatic machinery without requiring expensive changes in previously existing facilities. The invention, therefore, permits substantial increase in the production of a small factory without a proportionate increase in the cost of material.

'It is to be understood that the foregoing description is by way of illustration rather than limitation and that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes variations and modifications of the specific devices shown herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a tire building machine, an externally cylindrical tire building drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a servicer mounted near said drum having a frame spaced from said drum, a supply roll having a sheet of liner material and a sheet of rubberized tire fabric spirally wound thereon, means mounting said supply roll for rotation about an axis parallel to the drum axis, means for pulling said sheet from said supply roll and for separating said sheets including a pull roll and motor means for rotating said pull roll, means carried by said frame mounting said pull roll for rotation about an axis above and parallel to the axis of of said supply roll, a fabricsupporting table mounted on said frame to swing about an axis parallel to the drum axis from a generally horizontal feeding position over the tire building drum to an upright retracted position spaced a substantial distance from said drum, said table having a carriage mounted for movement transversely in a direction parallel to the drum axis, a series of cylindrical fabric-engaging rolls mounted on said carriage parallel to the drum axis, means for guiding the rubberized fabric sheet from said supply roll over said ull roll to sa'd table and for forming a fabric festoon between said rolls and said table, means for biasing the carriage in a transverse direction and for controlling the transverse movement of said carriage to locate the carriage in a series of predetermined positions, guide means for preventing relative transverse movement between said carriage and the fabric sheet supported by said carriage so that the fabric may be accurately positioned as it is appli to the tire building drum, means for producing a signal when the amount of fabric in said festoon is below a predetermined amount, and means for automatically controlling said motor means in response to said signal to maintain a supply of fabric on said table and in said festoon at all times.

2. In a tire mounted for rotation about a comprising a fabric-supporting table mounted on a adjacent said drum, means for supplying a uniform width to said table, means for supporting said sheet in a generally flat position comprising a carriage and a series of parallel cylindrical fabric-engaging rolls rotatably mounted on said carriage in positions transverse to the fabric sheet, means including anti-friction bearings mounting said carriage for movement on. said table in a direction transverse to the fabric sheet, means for locating said carriage in a series of predetermined positions and for indicating said pos'tions including a pawl memberand a pawl-receiving notches, one of said members being mounted on said carriage and the other member being mounted on said table and held against movement in the direction of movement of said a tire building drum horizontal axis, a servicer frame 14 carriage, said members holding the carriage against movement when the pawl is in any one of said notches, means for disengaging said members to permit movement of the pawl from one notch to another notch, and means for moving the pawl into each notch with sufficient force to create an audible click so that the clicking sound of the pawl indicates of the carriage.

3. In a tire building machine, a servicer comprising a frame, a generally rectangular fabric-supporting table mounted on the upper end portion of said frame to swing about a horizontal axis between substantially horizontal and vertical positions, motor means for moving said table between said positions, a carriage mounted on said table for transverse movement parallel to said axis, a series of closely spaced cylindrical fabric-engaging rolls rotatably mounted on said carriage parallel to said axis, spring means biasing said carriage in one direction, releasable means for resisting movement of the carriage in said one direction and for holding the carriage in a series of predetermined selective positions on the table, and means for guiding a fabric sheet of uniform width to said carriage including a cylindrical fabric-engaging roll at the receiving end of the carriage mounted for rotation about an axis arallel to said first-named axis, a fabric supply roll and a pull roll mounted on said frame for rotation about axes parallel to said horizontal axis, means for driving said pull roll to pull the fabric from said supply roll over said pull roll, the fabric extending downwardly from said pull roll into a festoon having a normal height greater than the length of said carriage and extending upwardly from said festoon to said last-named cylindrical roll, and means for controlling operation of said pull roll in response to the position of said festoon to regulate the size of said festoon.

4. In a tire building machine, a tire building drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a servicer having a fabric-supporting table, means for feeding a sheet of rubberized tire fabric to said table, said table having a carriage mounted for movement in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said sheet over said table, said carriage having means for supporting said sheet and for centering the sheet on the carriage while guiding the sheet over the carriage, means for holding the carriage against transverse movement, and means for guiding the sheet to the carriage as it moves upwardly from below the carriage including a generally horizontal spreader rod having a helical surface for engaging the bottom of the sheet, said rod having a length greater than the width of said sheet, the portion of the rod engaging said sheet being generally concave.

S. In a tire building machine, mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, a first servicer having a rigid frame, a fabric-supporting table mounted on said frame and having a position wherein the end of the table is adjacent the upper surface of the drum, 'a fabric supply roll containing a rubberized fabric web and means for guilding and feeding said web from said supply roll to said table; a second servicer located on the side of said drum opposite the first servicer, said second servicer having a fabric supporting table, means for holdirrg the table in a position wherein the end thereof is adjacent the upper surface of the drum, a supply roll containing a rubberized fabric web, and means for guiding and feeding said web from said last-named supply roll to said last-named table; and means on one of said servicers for supporting a tread strip in a generally horizontal position and for guiding the same over that servicer to the tire building drum including a tread table having rollers mounted thereon generally parallel to the drum axis that engage the bottom surface of the tread strip and having means for supporting the tread table above the fabricsupporting table of that servicer with the end of the tread table adjacent the upper surface of the tire building drum.

6. In a tire building machine, a servicer comprising a a tire building drum l 16 frame, a generally rectangular fabric-supporting table carriage in a transverse direction and for oontrolhng the mounted on the upper end portion of said frame to swing transverse movement of said carriage to locate the carabout a horizontal axis between substantially honzontal riage in a series of fixed selective positions, means on said and vertical positions, a carriage mounted on said table for carriage for accurately guiding the fabric web to the tire transverse movement parallel to said axis, a series of close- 5 building drum, a fabric supply roll mounted on said frame y spaced cylindrical fabric-engaging rolls rotatably and containing a rubberized fabric web and means for mounted on said carnage parallel to said axis spring guiding and feeding said web from said supply roll to means biasing said carriage in one transverse direction, said table and over said carriage, motor means for swingreleasable means for resisting movement of the carnage ing said first-named table between its horizontal and its in said one direction and for holding the carriage in a upright position including a gear segment rigidly conan axis parallel to said first-named axis, a guide member rack to reciprocate the same, and means for limiting ocated substantially in a plane tangent to said last-named stop members rigidly connected to said gear segment and roll for guiding the fabric to said roll, guide means on yieldable means for engaging the stop members as the said guide member for engaging the side edges of the table arrives at said horizontal and said upright positions; fabric sheet to center said sheet on the carriage and means and a second servicer mounted in a fixed position on the controlling the fabric sheet to provide afestoon extending opposite side of the tire building drum d having a several feet below said carriage and containing a regulated abide-supporting table with a discharge end near the to amount of fabric with a length at least twice the length of said drum, and a tread-supply table forming the top of said carriage. of said second servicer and overlying all of the fabric in In a tire building machine hflVln" a tire building said second servicer.

drum mounted for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis 9. In a tire building machine, a servicer comprising a and having means for rotating said drum in opposite direcframe, a generally rectangular fabric-supportmg table tions, in combination a first servicer having a rigid mounted on the upper end portion of said ame to swing frame mounted in a fixed position on one side of said about a horizontal axis between substantially horizontal drum and spaced from the drum to provide an aisle and vertical positions, motor means for moving said table through which a person may walk, a fabric-supporting tween said positions, a carriage mounted on said table table mounted on said frame to swing about a horizontal for transverse movement parallel to said axis, a series of aisle remote from said drum to a generally horizontal mounted on said carriage parallel to said axis, spring position across said aisle wherein the discharge end of means b1as1ng said carriage in one direction, releasable said table 18 ad acent the top of said drum a carnage means for resisting movement of the carriage in said one mounted on the table for transverse movement parallel direction and for holding the carriage in a series of sepa web, means for biasing the carriage in a transverse direcguiding a fabric sheet of uniform width to said 0 roll mounted on said frame and containing a rubberized first-named axis, a pair of fabric guides mounted fa ric Web, and means for guiding and feeding said web swivel bar extending around the opp from said supply roll to said table and over said carriage tions of the fabric sheet to guide the a second servicer mounted in a fixed position on the opposupporting table, a curved spreader site side of the tire building drum and having a fabricon said swivel bar below said fabric supporting table With a discharge end near the top of parallel to said first-named axis, said rod extending besaid drum a series of cylindrical fabric-engaging rolls tween said fabric guides and having a downwa mounted on said last-named table parallel to the drum central portion and means carried by the fabric from the table to said drum; and a tread-supply supporting table, a fabric supply r guiding material from the tread table to the tire building 0 roll into a festoon having a normal height greater than 8. In a tire building machine having a tire building said festoon to said last-named cylindrical roll, and means drum mounted for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis responsive to the height of said festoon for cont and having means for rotating said drum in opposite operation of said pull roll to regulate the size 0 directions, a first servicer having arigid frame mounted festoon.

in a fixed position on one side of said drum and spaced 10. In a tire building machine, an ex from the drum to provide an aisle through which a pertire building drum mounted for rotation about a hori son may walk, a fabric-supporting table mounted on said ZOIltal aXiS, Z1 wer o t d ar frame to swing about a horizontal axis from a retracted a frame spaced from said drum, a supply roll having a upright position at the side of the aisle remote from said sheet of liner material and a sheet of rubberized i fa means biasing said carriage in one frame mounting said pull roll for rotation about an axis above and parallel to the axis of rotation of said supply roll, a fabric-supporting table mounted on said frame to swing about an axis parallel to the drum axis from a generally horizontal feeding position over the tire building drum to an upright retracted position spaced 2. substantial distance from said drum, said table having a carriage mounted for movement transversely in a direction parallel to the drum axis, a series of cylindrical fabricengaging rolls mounted on said carriage parallel to the drum axis, means guiding the rubberized fabric sheet from said supply roll over said pull roll to said table and forming a fabric festoon between said rolls and said table, transverse direction, resisting movement of the carriage in said one direction and holding the carriagein a series of fixed selective positions on the table, said spring means yieldably holding the carriage in each of said positions when the carriage is moved to that position, guide means carried by said carriage for preventing relative transverse movement between said carriage and the fabric sheet supported by said carriage so that the fabric is accurately positioned as it is moved from the carriage to the tire building drum, means for guiding the fabric sheet to said carriage including a cylindrical fabric engaging roll at the receiving end of the carriage mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the drum axis, a

guide member mounted on the end of the carriage to swing about an axis parallel to the drum member having a surface axis, said guide located generally in a plane tangent to said last-named roll for guiding the fabric to said roll, said guide member having means for engaging the side edges on the carriage, and means responsive center said sheet to theposition of said festoon for automatically controlling said motor means to maintain a regulated amount of fabric in said festoon having a carriage.

References Cited length at least twice in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Stevens Dec. 3, Carlin Mar. 14, Leguillon Apr. 11, McChesney Feb. 5, McChesney Apr. 8, Breth Aug. 30, Kastner July 3, Cleland et al. Mar. 4, Sternad et al. Oct. 13, Iredell et a1. Mar. 9,

the length of said 

2. IN A TIRE BUILDING MACHINE, AN EXTERNALLY CYLINDRICAL TIRE BUILDING DRUM MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, A SERICER MOUNTED NEAR SAID DRUM HAVING A FRAME SPACED FROM SAID FRUM, A SUPPLY ROLL HAVING A SHEET OF LINER MATERIAL AND A SHEET OF RUBBERIZED TIRE FABRIC SPIRALLY WOUND THEREON, MEANS MOUNTING SAID SUPPLY ROLL FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE DRUM AXIS, MEANS FOR PULLING SAID SHEET FROM SAID SUPPLY ROLL AND FOR SEPARATING SAID SHEETS INCLUDING A PULL ROLL AND MOTOR MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID PULL ROLL, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MOUNTING SAID PULL FOR ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS ABOVE AND SUPPORTING TABLE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME TO SWING ABOUT AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE DRUM AXIS FROM A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL FEEDING POSITION OVER THE TIRE BUILDING DRUM TO AN UPRIGHT RETRACTED POSITION SPACED A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID DRUM, SAID TABLE HAVING A CARRIAGE MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT TRANSERSELY IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE DRUM AXIS, A SERIES OF CYLINDRICAL FABRIC-ENGAGING ROLLS MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE PARALLEL TO THE DRUM AXIS, MEANS FOR GUIDING THE RUBBERIZED FABRIC SHEET FROM SAID SUPPLY ROLL OVER SAID PULL ROLL TO SAID ATABLE AND FOR FORMING A FABRIC FESTOON BETWEEN SAID ROLLS AND SAID TABLE, MEANS FOR BIASING THE CARRIAGE IN A TRANSVERSE DIRECTION AND FOR CONTROLLING THE TRASVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGE TO LOCATE THE CARRIAGE IN A SERIES OF PREDETERMINED POSITIONS, GUIDE MEANS FOR PREVENTING REATIVE TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT BETWEEN SAID CARRIAGE AND THE FABRIC SHEET SUPPORTED BY SAID CARRIAGE SO THAT THE FABRIC MAY BE ACCURATELY POSITIONED AS IT IS APPLIED TO THE TIRE BUILDING DRUM, MEANS FOR PRODUCING A SIGNAL WHEN THE AMOUNT OF FABRIC IN SAID FESTOON IS BELOW A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT, AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING A SIGNAL TROLLING SAID MOTOR MEANS IN RESPONSE TO SAID SIGNAL TO MAINTAIN A SUPPLY OF FABRIC ON SAID TABLE AND IN SAID FESTOON AT ALL TIMES. 